Construction entrepreneur Liu Ching-yi's name in Chinese means "pure bearing," and his deportment is as calm, cool and collected as his name. His 16 years of experience in construction have given him a stable personality and straightforward character, as steady as a skyscraper built on a firm foundation.
In 1977 Liu Ching-yi tested into the civil engineering program at Chunghsing University and moved to Taichung from Chaochou Township in the south of Taiwan. While he was still a sophomore in college, he spent his free time on the construction site, as supervisor.
After formally entering the construction business, Liu Ching-yi threw all his energies into his work, and far away from his home, he met with success. In less than ten years he rose from construction site manager to president of his company's production plant. He went on to expand his role, starting up a second production plant and three subsidiary companies.
Liu Ching-yi and his wife both were born into working-class households. Even though he lives in a society which places a premium on academic credentials, he doesn't regard himself too highly. He believes that manual labor is a proud occupation. This honest attitude he holds in looking at himself has inculcated in him the power to honestly look at his work and photography.
In order to effectively attain engineering quality and progress, photographic records, or "construction journals," are regularly kept at building sites. When Liu Ching-yi started trying to photograph his construction projects three years ago, little did he expect that from then on he would never lay the camera down. He has collected more than 500 books on photography, and he also sought out the guidance of Chen Shih-an, a photographer of the older generation. As Chen Shih-an, who is both his mentor and friend, passed on his knowledge bit by bit, Liu learned the most sophisticated concepts. And from Chen's respect for photography he has come to comprehend the way in which the spiritual essences of photography and construction harmonize, and as a result he has discovered a different self.
From preparatory works such as laying out foundations, digging trenches for earth retaining walls, sinking wells and removing earth, to structural work such as erecting reinforcing bars, constructing formwork or pouring concrete, Liu Ching-yi never neglects a single step. And because his work has come under the scrutiny of his lens, Liu has actively and directly managed the construction sites, each with more than 20 supervisory personnel, including manager, assistant manager, site supervisor, etc., and made them more human places. He has be come a model for everyone else. The quality of engineering has improved and become more well rounded. In a large building of more than ten stories and more than 35,000 square feet of space, Liu Ching-yi photographs every inch of every floor. He can shoot a complete circuit of pictures in two or three hours. In one month, he usually uses more than 100 rolls of film to shoot photos of the 500 workers on the five construction sites that are continuously in operation. He can call more than half of these workers by name.
Liu Ching-yi, who has risen from rags to riches, has acquired great empathy with his workers, deeply understanding and caring for them. Because of this, he was able to win the prize of excellence at the 1993 Taipei City Photography Festival, although he had worked on his project for only one year. After his solo exhibition "Workers," Liu plans within the next three years to focus on this group of laboring folk, who are as diligent as ever in their highly dangerous work which is so rapidly disappearing.
It might not be surprising if one day Liu Ching-yi gives up his role in the business world and devotes himself strictly to the mysteries behind the lens.
Liu Ching-yi
July 1957-Born in Chaochou Township Pingtung County, Taiwan
1981--Graduated from National Chunghsing University's civil engineering department
1990-1993--Founded Shangyung and Jade Tree construction companies
1993--Awarded the prize of excellence at the Third Annual Taipei
City Photography Festival, part of the Taiwan Provincial Fine
Arts Exhibition and the Taipei City Fine Arts Exhibition
1994--Held solo photography exhibition "Workers."
[Picture Caption]
p.87
Primming and smoothing the door opening, concentrating on quality control.
p.88
Focusing on the chest wound of a concrete worker. In the conversation, the artist used a "No-finder" photo to capture a vivid image.
p.89
A female bricklayer. The habit of covering the face with a hood usually can only be seen in Penghu and Yunlin.
p.90
A team of thirty reinforcing bar erectors can complete a whole floor in three days.
p.91
Fifty or sixty reinforcing bar erectors are divided up by fives. They cooperate to erect steel beams. Observing the construction site with a camera's-eye view yields quite a dramatic effect.
p.92
The soft gravel layer under Taichung makes it necessary for workers to manually dig holes for pillars. The hole is 15 meters deep, and the work is risky. Usually, it's done in tandem by husband and wife or father and son. One person works in the hole, and the other helps from the outside.
p.93
When digging trenches for earth retaining walls, the workers have to spray concrete whenever they go a meter deeper to prevent the dirt and rocks from caving in. The heat does not easily dissipate, so workers have to come out for a rest once an hour. Here one is been spattered form head to toe with wet cement.
p.94
In order to ensure the safety of the residences around the construction site, after the bracing system has been set up, the steel struts are pressed apart with hydraulic jacks to support the retaining was on both sides.
p.95
A foreign laborer, finished with his work for the day. His joy at receiving letters from his family infects his fellow workers all around.
Focusing on the chest wound of a concrete worker. In the conversation, the artist used a "No-finder" photo to capture a vivid image.
A female bricklayer. The habit of covering the face with a hood usually can only be seen in Penghu and Yunlin.
A team of thirty reinforcing bar erectors can complete a whole floor in three days.
Fifty or sixty reinforcing bar erectors are divided up by fives. They cooperate to erect steel beams. Observing the construction site with a camera's-eye view yields quite a dramatic effect.
The soft gravel layer under Taichung makes it necessary for workers to manually dig holes for pillars. The hole is 15 meters deep, and the work is risky. Usually, it's done in tandem by husband and wife or father and son. One person works in the hole, and the other helps from the outside.
When digging trenches for earth retaining walls, the workers have to spray concrete whenever they go a meter deeper to prevent the dirt and rocks from caving in. The heat does not easily dissipate, so workers have to come out for a rest once an hour. Here one is been spattered form head to toe with wet cement.
In order to ensure the safety of the residences around the construction site, after the bracing system has been set up, the steel struts are pressed apart with hydraulic jacks to support the retaining was on both sides.
A foreign laborer, finished with his work for the day. His joy at receiving letters from his family infects his fellow workers all around. （Photos by Liu Ching-yi／text by Chang Tsang Sung／tr. by Brent Heinrich）
